OK I will write my one-star review. And will try this exercise with other bands like Opeth or Porcupine Tree.

As a collaborator you get 20x weighting, so unlike the case of Tubes here it actually is pretty irresponsible of you to purposely manipulate ratings. "Only for completionists" is a pretty specific criterion.

you are really the most procedural guy I ever saw in my life !

I am free to give any rating I want when I review an album : this rating will mirror my overall appreciation of the music, and not follow curious rules (such as level of progressiveness).

There is something so right about Freehand, they achieve something there the other albums don't quite have. It will always be my favorite.

Rarely do you hear a prog album, or any kind of album for that matter, that sounds so sure. A massive achievement and quite possibly my favourite album of all time. It's just kick-ass solid prog rock from start to finish.

Also, thumbs up for being a fellow fan of The Missing Piece.

Thanks for your reply

Mahler's 7th Symphony-like the Soundtrack to a serious operation that is going really well.

I think Snow Dog pointed out that Hercules, who started this thread because of a one star review he didn't like, did a one star review of VDGG's Pawn Hearts which of course many consider a true classic and many feel the same way about Free Hand by GG. Now that's irony.

Having said that I certainly think a one star rating of Free Hand is ridiculous but as many have already said each person is entitled to their opinion. I have always found both bands to be very challenging at times but certainly worthy of repeated listens and imho there is nothing that rates 1 star in either bands output.

Just an observation; but it seems to me some people who are clever often like to show that they are and write provocative reviews, articles, blogs , etc to perhaps get a reaction.

Just an observation; but it seems to me some people who are clever often like to show that they are and write provocative reviews, articles, blogs , etc to perhaps get a reaction.

Just saying..........

if you read the arguments of the author of the 1 star review, this is clearly a different case. He wrote what he feels about that album, nothing more. One shouldn't be influenced by other reviews when he/she writes his/her own review, otherwise the review is biased. The guy had the courage to go against the mainstream and we should salute him for that. I even wonder if it is not the only "objective" review of this album...

Just an observation; but it seems to me some people who are clever often like to show that they are and write provocative reviews, articles, blogs , etc to perhaps get a reaction.

Just saying..........

if you read the arguments of the author of the 1 star review, this is clearly a different case. He wrote what he feels about that album, nothing more. One shouldn't be influenced by other reviews when he/she writes his/her own review, otherwise the review is biased. The guy had the courage to go against the mainstream and we should salute him for that. I even wonder if it is not the only "objective" review of this album...

Oh I read it and perhaps we are reading a different review....imho it has an undertone of thinly veiled arrogance.

@Manuel Listen man: Having a picture of yourself playing as your avatar doesn't entitle you to presume that I have no affinity for playing musical instruments and writing original music. I do for both, you could say, but I'm not formally trained.

@dr wu23 Thank you for attributing cleverness to me! - But I'm not that smart. And about your accusation of, "thinly veiled arrogance": that's not intentional. Besides, I should remind you to let he who has not sinned cast the first stone.

@Manuel Listen man: Having a picture of yourself playing as your avatar doesn't entitle you to presume that I have no affinity for playing musical instruments and writing original music.* I do for both, you could say, but I'm not formally trained.

Tubes wrote:

@Snow Dog, that's fine, but you'll not receive my respect in return for the 'favor'. By the way, you might feel more inclined to restrain your enthusiasm for certain albums, if you would take care of what I'll guess is an unfortunate cocaine problem, SNOW Dog. I can be funny when I want.

Try to go easy on people - they are capable of making mistakes, big and small. You can highlight their mistakes in a very simple and orderly fashion instead of trumping them with an untactful choice of words like "listen, man" ... let alone the stuff you said to Ian. So Mani made a little mistake. So what? Over-reaction isn't how we play the game.

This is supposed to be a friendly community, and it's not just the job of admins and moderators to keep it that way. I highly encourage everyone else, be that a forum senior member or a newbie-boobie () to do the same.

Anyway, back to the brass tax: ... I think what Mani was trying to say here is that you, Tubes, did not write the material for Free Hand. GG did. They of all people have an idea of how their music works; certain little things may not be as obvious to you. Maybe the writer had a polyrhythm in his head while listening to his song, thinking that the song sounds very clever, but he forgot to put that polyrhythm into the song. Or maybe he thought that putting it in would be too much. I don't know how to deliver it to you in a clearer and more concise manner. "It's all in the eye of the beholder" ... or what's that saying?

Edited by Dayvenkirq - April 03 2013 at 22:46

"People tell you life is short. ... No, it's not. Life is long. Especially if you make the wrong decisions." - Chris Rock

@DAyvenkirq Like you said yourself, "Over-reaction is how we play the game." And I think I'm winning. To ironically quote a Gentle Giant song:

I'm the king in fighting competitionand the other piecesare there for my art and my tactics now.All my games are won before they're played forI have planned that no opposition can stage a fightI'll play the game and never ever lose.

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